Sling



I. H. WILLIAMS SLING Filed April 16. '1924 Jrrz'm a? Z ZYZLZZIZ'J amen L470:

Patented May 5, 1925.

Irwin H. WILLI MS, or RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

SLING.

I Application filed April 16, 1924. Serial No. 7Q6,887.-1 i

To all whomitnmg concern:

Be it known that I, IInvIN H. WILLIAMS,

the city of Richmond, in the Stateof Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slings, of which the fol- I lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. :1 My invention relates to slings for lifting, carrying. and transporting heavy and cumbersome objects in I factories and warshouses; such slings being suspended from cranes, overhead trolleys, and the like.

- My invention has for its object the provisionof means for safely, expeditiously, and economically handling heavy cylindrical, rounded, or flat objects; and in particular barrels and. hogsheads, especially those which are of irregular shape and light construction, cement,.or tobacco, are shipped in bulk.

' Taking the tobacco hogshead, for instance: this class of-container is irregular in shape, is not truly cylindrical, is of comparatively flimsy construction, can berolled only with effort, and when loaded is very heavy. The weight of a filled tobacco hogshead ranges from nine hundred pounds to twenty four hundred pounds, according to the densityfto which the tobacco has been prized. To lift such a .hogshead from the floor, or to roll it over any thick or high object such-as a heavy chain or piece of angle iron, by simple man power, is. impracticable. Tongs or dogs are not well suited to lifting such loads, since the strength of the container is not sufficient to allow lifting by such vmeans without some danger to the handlers. I

Furthermore, to conserve space in tobacco warehouses the hogsheads must be stacked. The use ofv the ordinary chain sling is attended by loss of much time in properly adjusting the sling, and also by danger to the handlers when removing the chain from the stacked hogshead. In some cases hogsheads are stacked by rolling them up planks to the top of the first .tier; a difficult and laborious operation, and one in which much time is lost. Manifestly, it is still more difficult and laborious to roll hogsheads from the floor to third and fourth tiers.

By the use of my improved sling the warehouse hands can handle hogsheads and other heavy loads with economy, and withand in which such materials as out danger;and stacking can-be easily acjcomphshed to any reasonable height. 'a. citizen of the United: States, residing at I j In the-drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in 1 which like numerals refer to like parts: j q

I Figure I shows my sling in perspective; Figure II shows thesling in end elevation, and supporting a hogshead above the floor level; and Figure III shows one way in plates 8. Similarly the legs 9 of the frame 2 are connected to the angle 10 reenforced by the gusset plates 11. I I

Secured to corresponding ends of the angles 7 and 10, and underneath them, are the thin flat bars, 12 12. In the drawing these bars appear to be of considerable thickness, shown soto' obtain clearness of detail, but in practice they are made so thin that they will yield to the pressure of the weight carried and conform somewhat to its shape. bars they are deflected, and their ends,.and consequently the lower ends of the frames 1 and 2, are drawn towards one another.

This is possible by virtue. of the elasticity of the end frames. This elasticity of the end frames and the elasticity of the flat bars enables the latter to conform somewhat to the shape of the load, holding it more securely, and making, it much less liable to roll or shift its position accidentally.

.In Figure II a hogshead is shown carried in the sling. When about to lift a hogshead from the floor, the sling is lowered nearby, until it rests upon the two flat bars 12, 12. The hogshead is then easily rolled over the adjacent flat bar, and until it stands between the two bars. Upon the sling being raised by; the hoist, thejhogshead will find its own seat on the two bars, which, as explained above, will deflect and adapt themselves more or less to the contour of the load.

In Figure III I show a method of stacking barrels or hogsheads by means of my improved sling. The numeral 13 indicates When the load is applied on the last row of hogsheads.

forming the first row of hogsheads; the numeral 14: the second row; and the numeral 15 a third row; and so on. The second row is being extended. A horse 16 is set in the warehouse aisle, and opposite to the end of the row 13. Stout planks 17 are placed upon the horse and upon the first row of hogsheads, to form a platform. The loaded sling (Figure II) is brought over the planks l7; and it is lowered until the bars 12 are seated on the said planks 17. The hogshead 18 is then easily rolled out of the sling, and along the planks, until it is dropped off their ends into a resting place between the two nearest hogsheads in the first row. As the hogshea'ds are placed, the planks are drawn back to uncover the next seat.

To place: the third row, or the fourth row, a horse of the requisite height is placed in position, and from it planks are run to the The stacking proceeds as before.

I do not confine myself to the use of an elastic structure, for my sling would be of great use even if its several members were rigid. The essential feature of my invention is the spaced apart thin bars 12, 12; and they are supported by a framework preferably built of steel or iron, and which is consequently more or less flexible and elastic. This flexibility and elasticity adds to the usefulness of my invention.

I claim:

1. A sling adapted to carry a load, having two flat members spaced apart and substantially parallel to one another to form a cradle to carry the load, with cross members secured to each end of the flat members to hold them in their spaced relation, and with the flat members an open frame of substantially rectangular .shapoe, and having means secured to the frame y which it may be suspended in a substantially horizontal plane.

2. A sling adapted to carry a load having curved surfaces, and consisting of twoflat and extended members parallel to one another with two cross members secured to the adjacent ends of the extended members and forming with them a rectangular and open frame to cradle the load; with means attached to the corners of the frame for supporting it from the hoist.

3. A sling adapted to carry a load having curved surfaces, and consisting of two elastic and extended members parallel to one another and adapted to embrace and support the load, also cross members secured to the ends of the extended members to hold the two extended members at the desired distance apart, and means attached to the ends of the cross members by which the cradle formed by the extended members and the cross members may be lifted from the ground.

4. A sling consisting of two elastic parallel members held in spaced relation to one another by cross members to form a cradle to support irregularly surfaced loads; and means for raising and lowering the cradle.

5. A sling consisting of two elastic horizontally disposed supporting members spaced apart to form a cradle adapted to embrace and support a load, a framework adapted to hold the supporting members in spaced relation and to connect the supporting members with the hoisting means, the said framework being also adapted to allow the supporting members to embrace the load upon receiving its weight.

6. A sling consisting of an open horizontally disposed rectangular framework, having two sides formed of thin fiat bars longer than the load it is designed to carry; also two more rigid sides to hold the longer sides in spaced relation and at a distance apart somewhat less than the width of the load, the said longer sides being attached to the more rigid sides in such a manner that when the frame is lowered the longer sides will lie substantially flat upon the ground, so that a heavy load may be rolled over one of the longer sides to a position between the two longer sides; and a vertically disposed frame attaching the horizontally disposed frame to the hoisting means; the vertically disposed frame being adapted when the load carrying horizontal frame is lifted from the ground to allow the said thin flat bars to embrace and support the load.

7. A sling consisting of two flat elastic bars longer than the load to be carried attached to the under sides of two less elastic spacing bars to hold the flat bars in relation to one another and at a distance apart some what less than the width of the load; the flat bars and the spacing bars being so disposed relatively to one another that when the sling is lowered the flat bars may be lowered flat upon the ground; and means for suspending the load carrying bars from the hoisting means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

IRVIN H. WILLIAMS.- 

